January 12: Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has suspended former captain of the Nepali national cricket team Sandeep Lamichhane after he was convicted of rape by the district court.    

Issuing a press statement on Thursday, CAN President Chatur Bahadur Chand confirmed that Lamichhane has been suspended from playing national and international matches for the country as the District Court, Kathmandu has found him guilty in a rape case.     

The District Court, Kathmandu on Wednesday had slapped an eight-year jail sentence to Lamichhane along with a fine of Rs 500,000. A single bench of District Court Judge Shishir Raj Dhakal issued the verdict. The court had declared Lamichhane guilty on December 29, 2023 but the sentence was announced only on Wednesday.

 Lamichhane was arrested from Tribhuvan International Airport on October 6, 2022 after a complaint was filed against him for allegedly raping a minor on September 6, 2022. 

The twenty-three-year-old left arm spinner is a former captain of the Nepali national cricket team. He raised quite a few eyebrows when he made his debut in the money-spinning Indian Premier League in 2018 as a teenager. He also has the experience of playing in Australia’s Big Bash and other major leagues worldwide. He is also the highest ODI wicket-taker for Nepal.